Commissie maakt extra fondsen vrij voor ondersteuning boeren in Zuid-Finland (en)
The European Commission has today approved a national support programme for farmers in the South of Finland for the years ;2004 to 2007. The programme covers state aid for investment and other structural support for the improvement of farm structures, income aid of € 420 million for animal husbandry and horticulture, and additional agri-environmental support of € 225 million for crop producers. The amount of investment aid to be granted is not specified in the decision. The programme was authorised under Article 141 of the Finnish Treaty of Accession. This Article allows transitional support to be granted to farmers in Finland in case of serious difficulties persisting as a result of accession to the European Union.
Franz Fischler, European Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries said: "Farmers in Southern Finland will get increased support for the improvement of farm structures and € 420 million of income aid over the next 4 years to accompany and facilitate that structural change. Farmers now get a right to receive investment aid at the maximum level possible under European Union (EU) state aid rules, and even higher in some instances. The Commission has also authorised 225 million € of agri-environmental aid in order to sustain the positive development in environmental protection in Finnish agriculture. This funding is made available in addition to normal support offered by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Farmers in Southern Finland are thus offered a unique chance of completing successful integration into the CAP. I expect Finnish farmers to make full use of this possibility."
The main points of the Finnish state aid programme covered by today's decision:
- Finland will grant farmers in Southern Finland aid for investments and for setting up young farmers as well as technical support at the full amount allowed under EU State aid rules (normally 50%).
- In order to ensure a strong structural development, in its decision the Commission also authorises Finland to grant investment aid for certain targets, such as production buildings, animal welfare and nature protection, at a higher rate than otherwise allowed in State aid rules for agriculture. Investments in animal welfare, for example, will benefit from an aid rate of 75 %.
- The Commission holds that other national aid under Article 141 contributes to sustainable farming only if combined with such structural support. Therefore the Decision states that national income support may be paid to farmers only if they can benefit from the maximum levels of structural support set out in the decision.
Agri-environmental support for crop producers
Improvement of farm structures
Finland may also pay additional incentive payments of € 60 million in 2004 and of € 55 million per year thereafter for farmers who have made agri-environmental commitments in crop production under the Rural Development Regulation (EC) No 1257/99.
These incentives may be cumulated with incentives co-financed by the EU. The overall amount of these cumulated incentives is limited to 100 % of the additional costs and income foregone resulting from such commitments.
Income aid
For the years 2004 to 2007, the following amounts of income aid can be made available to farmers in the sectors animal husbandry and horticulture in Southern Finland in order to facilitate the successful implementation of the structural support programme:
- 2004: 129 million €
- 2005: 100 million €
- 2006: 97 million €
- 2007: 94 million €
The Commission holds that this type of income aid must be a temporary measure facilitating the integration of Finnish agriculture into the CAP. Therefore in this decision the Commission has authorised only degressive income aid whose overall amount and the amount paid to each sector will diminish each year.
Finland will submit an evaluation report in 2006. Should Finland request so, the Commission will then examine whether continued support after 2007 is warranted.